Weld backings are used to temporarily provide support for weld material deposited in a region being welded, to prevent, for example, a weld root from sagging below the welded region. An uncontrolled weld root may result in varying weld thickness and sharp notches in the weld requiring further machining that may be difficult and time consuming to perform. Furthermore, complex weld root profiles may be difficult to obtain without the use of a weld backing. Typically, a mechanical support is used for holding a heat resistant material against a backside of a region to be welded. Once the weld has cooled sufficiently, the backing can be removed, leaving a smooth weld root. Typically, ceramics, fiberglass tape, solid metal, and weld metal deposited using a tungsten gas process are used for weld backings. However, irregularly shaped objects having restricted access to the backside of regions to be welded pose problems when attempting to provide weld backings in a conventional manner. In particular, objects having relatively complex structures defining irregular cavities with restricted access have been difficult to weld while maintaining a desired weld root profile.